Family Law

The attorneys and support staff of Perrie & Associates, LLC are dedicated to upholding the rights of our clients and know that everyone we represent faces a very unique situation. For that reason, we get to know our clients on a personal level and understand what motivates them. It's an investment on our part that consistently pays off in the courtroom.

We can help with all divorce & family law issues, including:

Uncontested Divorce

In an uncontested divorce, it is common for only one of the parties to hire a lawyer, who then prepares the necessary documents. It is important to understand that a lawyer cannot represent both sides in a divorce. If you hire one of our family law attorneys, we will represent you only. We will prepare and file a divorce petition, settlement agreement, and a proposed divorce decree. Once you and your spouse agree, we will draft these documents according to your agreements and file them with the court.

Contested Divorce

If the parties cannot come to an agreement prior to filing the divorce, then the action will be contested. The attorneys at Perrie & Associates are committed to effectively representing our clients throughout each stage of the litigation process including pre-filing negotiations, divorce filing, discovery, pretrial motions and hearings, and trial. Some of the most common areas of contention are addressed below:

Child Custody

If the parties cannot agree on the terms of custody, the court will enter an order based on the best interests of the children. Child Custody is both physical and legal. Physical Custody establishes where a child will live during particular time frames. Legal Custody establishes which parent (or both) has decision making authority for the minor children on such things as schools, doctors, non-elective surgery, and religion

Parenting Time

Georgia has guidelines that courts use to determine the appropriate amount of child support. The guidelines consider many factors, including the income of each parent, other children the parents have to support, and work-related day care costs for the children. Courts plug number into the formula and come up with an amount of support that should be paid for the child or children. The child support guidelines are not always the exact method of calculating child support and parties can argue that, because of special circumstances, a court should order more or less support than the guideline amount.

Property & Debt Division

Dividing a marital estate in Georgia has become increasingly complex. Today's divorce client requires the knowledge and expertise necessary to identify and evaluate a variety of financial and real estate interests. In Georgia, assets and debts are divided "equitably", either by agreement of the parties or by the court following a trial. An equitable division of marital assets and debts simply means a fair division under the particular circumstances of a marriage. Some spouses are able to agree on the division of property, while others are not. If there is no marital settlement agreement reached, then the court will divide the property after considering a number of factors.

Spousal Maintenance

Payments made to an ex spouse for their maintenance and support following dissolution of marriage are considered "alimony" or "spousal support." The justification for the award of alimony is to provide an ex spouse with assistance in maintaining a lifestyle similar to the one enjoyed before separation. In Georgia, the award of spousal support is not as common as it once was. This is especially true where both spouses work. In the majority of instances where spousal support is awarded the support is designed to last for a relatively short period of time in order to allow the receiving spouse to reestablish himself or herself.

Post-Decree Motions to Modify Child Support and Alimony

Sometimes circumstances change after a divorce, warranting the modification of existing child custody and support arrangements. A parent may lose a job or a child may no longer get along with the custodial parent. At Perrie & Associates, we represent parents wishing to modify custody and support plans according to their children's needs.